Off-topic Car Snivel...

[crazy steve]

I've been working on my LT-powered Jag on and off for the last few weeks, trying to fix a non-functioning oil pressure gauge. It's been kicking my a**...

It initially went bad by reading full scale as soon as the key was turned. I assumed a bad sender, because as soon as I unplugged the sender it would drop to zero. Bought a new sender (you think XS11 parts are expensive and hard to find? Hah!), but no help. Reinstalled the old sender (must be good, right?), made sure the wire was good, so must be the gauge. Spare gauges I have, so swapped in another one.... and another one.... and another one. Hmmm, not getting anywhere here. Ok, try the new sender again. Still zip.

Asked over at the Jag forum and got an explanation of how the gauge works (not like normal gauges; these are Lucas parts... you know, Lord Lucas, the Prince of Darkness), took another shot. Well, with the right gauge and the new sender and much screwing around with the connections on the back of the cluster, I finally got it to work (how did they both manage to fail at once?). I was also advised to clean all the connections on the whole cluster as preventitive maintanance. So I did...

The fuel/volt gauges now don't work, as well as multiple indicating lights. Crap....

Did I tell you about the totally funky electrical connections on this? The gauges are held in with sheetmetal screws, and they don't even go into anything; they go alongside the gauge, wedging it in place and the screw contacts the side of the circuit board... Lucas also used unplated steel screws and hardware, so most of this stuff is really rusty. What a nightmare...

I did find out how to build a 'gauge tester', so I can at least check them all before installing the cluster. Sheesh...

No point to this, just needed to vent. Sniveled to my wife, she just said 'you're the one that wanted a Jag...' then laughed at me.

[XS1100 Newbie]

I think i would be doing some rewiring, and mount a different cluster Steve. Probably not the end of the Lucas wiring problems.

[BA80]

Buy American.

[motoman]

He did Greg!.........well least the heart of it is..........a Fankinjag!

[CatatonicBug]

Sniveled to my wife, she just said 'you're the one that wanted a Jag...' then laughed at me.

Sounds like your wife knows what she's talking about!

[crazy steve]

...Probably not the end of the Lucas wiring problems.

No, probably not.... I knew all this when I bought the car, and 90% of the work I've done to it has been electrical-related. But the sheer pleasure of driving it has outweighed the frustrations of ownership so far. I'm just going to have the bite the billet and fully disassemble/clean/reassemble the cluster to get past this...

They're actually pretty well-built vehicles, with nearly bullet-proof brakes/suspension and very solid bodies. Most non-engine mechanical parts are surprisingly inexpensive. Even the notoriously unreliable V-12 is a pretty good motor if it's maintained right (200k+ miles is common on properly serviced examples), but few were and they don't suffer neglect well at all...

I've got several more of these, two of which I plan to 'lump' with 351W ford motors. The coupe I intend to install a stroker motor (392") with a six-speed for a 'hot rod', the convertible a tamer 351/auto for cruising. Full replacement of the electrical systems are planned...

[natemoen]

I've got several more of these, two of which I plan to 'lump' with 351W ford motors. The coupe I intend to install a stroker motor (392") with a six-speed for a 'hot rod', the convertible a tamer 351/auto for cruising. Full replacement of the electrical systems are planned...

You really are a glutton for punishment aren't you!

[XSive Okie]

It's not one of the positive ground cars is it? Never figured out why the Brits did that backwards, but since they drive on the wrong side of the road...I guess it makes some sense.

[DiverRay]

Positive ground was into the '60's. It ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE! If you look at the REAL flow of electrons, it is neg to pos!
And yeah, I do know a little about British cars. Owned a 74 1/2 Jensen Healy, and I help a friend keep his Jag running.

[cywelchjr]

That small block Chevy transplant thing is real popular too. Used to be the older 350 engines (typically either the Corvette or Camaro engines) before the LT1 came out and now I hear movement is to the LS1 being it's a much better motor than the LT1 is. I'd LOVE to put an LS1 in my 89 Camaro, but I'd HAVE to put subframe connectors in a well to keep from twisting the frame and breaking the t-tops if I did it (doesn't stop the planning though, if I find one for the right price, I WILL grab it and begin the process, gotta do the entire driveline though).

It's easier in some ways with mine though, it's just considered an engine swap, and requires a simple visit to the referee station who gives me a new sticker showing my new smog test standards (which would be the ones for the engine I installed).

[crazy steve]

That small block Chevy transplant thing is real popular too. Used to be the older 350 engines (typically either the Corvette or Camaro engines) before the LT1 came out and now I hear movement is to the LS1 being it's a much better motor than the LT1 is...

It's not so much that it's popular (and it is) as it is that it's possible...

These swaps first became popular in California primarily, as the Jaguars and particularly the XKE and XJS sold there were a large part of Jags' US market. One of the major problems with Jag motors was/is if you overheat them, the valve seats fall out of the head and quickly leads to a trashed motor. There was a lot of fairly new Jags around with dead motors (and replacement costs that could be 1/2 or more of the cars value), so some smart johnny looked for a swap candidate. The complicating factor was Californias' emission laws; for a swap to be legal, you had to have all the OEM equipment present and accounted for. Any aftermarket headers have to be 'approved', and that's a long and expensive process and there wasn't a large enough market for anyone to step up. So the small-block Chevy became the 'default' motor, as it was the only american V-8 that had a factory, acceptable-to-the smog-gods exhaust manifold that would fit the Jag engine bay without major surgery. Interestingly enough, it's the early-style 'rams horn' manifolds (first seen on the '55s) that they use. They're still using this exhaust, even on the LS motors. Headers are available, but not legal in Cali and other places...

You used to see 289 Ford swaps into older XKEs (as even the SBC was too wide for those), but that was pretty much it. If you live somewhere where the smog laws aren't as tight, you can also get parts to swap in big-block Chevys and even the 472/500 Caddy motors...

Like I said, the brakes/suspension is stout (the rear axle is a varient of the Dana 44), the bodies are well-built, full leather interior, and of course that beautiful english wood trim. But those damned Lucas electrics...

[cywelchjr]

It's not so much that it's popular (and it is) as it is that it's possible...

These swaps first became popular in California primarily, as the Jaguars and particularly the XKE and XJS sold there were a large part of Jags' US market. One of the major problems with Jag motors was/is if you overheat them, the valve seats fall out of the head and quickly leads to a trashed motor. There was a lot of fairly new Jags around with dead motors (and replacement costs that could be 1/2 or more of the cars value), so some smart johnny looked for a swap candidate. The complicating factor was Californias' emission laws; for a swap to be legal, you had to have all the OEM equipment present and accounted for. Any aftermarket headers have to be 'approved', and that's a long and expensive process and there wasn't a large enough market for anyone to step up. So the small-block Chevy became the 'default' motor, as it was the only american V-8 that had a factory, acceptable-to-the smog-gods exhaust manifold that would fit the Jag engine bay without major surgery. Interestingly enough, it's the early-style 'rams horn' manifolds (first seen on the '55s) that they use. They're still using this exhaust, even on the LS motors. Headers are available, but not legal in Cali and other places...

You used to see 289 Ford swaps into older XKEs (as even the SBC was too wide for those), but that was pretty much it. If you live somewhere where the smog laws aren't as tight, you can also get parts to swap in big-block Chevys and even the 472/500 Caddy motors...

Like I said, the brakes/suspension is stout (the rear axle is a varient of the Dana 44), the bodies are well-built, full leather interior, and of course that beautiful english wood trim. But those damned Lucas electrics...

And since federal law has no provision for engine swaps at all, and since Ca law does and Fed law does, it lets states use Ca law to enable engine swaps that they would not be able to with only Federal law to go by (and Ca is the ONLY state that is allowed to have laws different than federal, and other states may follow federal law or Ca law at their option, and even Ca must each time they want to generate yeat another different from federal law get a waiver from the EPA to do so).

[motoman]

Yea, took me a bit to figure out why the younger crowd gave me and wife jealous looks cruising through Pismo and all the way down PismoBeach last year while at the CaliRally.......chipped, straight-piped 5in. up-stack behind cab of my 2000F350 short-bed extra-cab 6-spd. 7.3 diesel...........ooooo..well.....some of us get to still have it OUR way!

[BA80]

...........ooooo..well.....some of us get to still have it OUR way!

Can't say what I want to.........................enjoy it while you can. Big brother will have you by the straight pipe soon.

[motoman]

Sorry bout that Greg..........not HERE....and DEFINITELY not any time soon.......the BS emissions compliance was told to take a hike LONG time ago on the western slope of Colo.....as was alot of other gov. control BS......well, you get the idea anyways......now back to Steve's regulary scheduled Jag deliemma before this goes too array..........